


Six Months

by crushing83



Series: Clouds and Ink [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Vape Shop, Alternate Universe - Vape Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Gabriel owns a vape shop, Gen, Human AU, M/M, Pre-Slash, Sabriel - Freeform, Sam and Dean own a tattoo parlor, Tattoo parlor AU, salmon dean are quitting smoking, sam and dean are quitting smoking, stop smoking start vaping, vape shop AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-11
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2018-08-30 10:17:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8529235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crushing83/pseuds/crushing83
Summary: A series of vignettes that follow Sam and Dean through the process of quitting smoking, and Sam and Gabriel through the process of getting to know one another.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam pops by for a visit, and to buy more juice...

Sam grinned when he heard Gabriel's "Hiya, Samshine" upon walking into Heavenly White. Over the last few visits---mainly to purchase juice, but he'd have been lying to himself if he said he wasn't there to see Gabriel, too---Gabriel gave him lots of nicknames, but 'Samshine' was Sam's favourite. It made him feel accepted, and maybe even wanted; on days when his relationship with his brother was strained, not at all helped by their decision to try to quit smoking again, feeling the acceptance in a warm welcome was a balm on his soul. 

Since Gabriel was with a customer, Sam meandered around the shop, looking at the various odds and ends under the glass counter before stopping at the case that held the two brightly coloured---and very expensive---mods. He hadn't looked at them up close in a while, so he gasped when he saw the small sticker on the card next to his favourite. Gabriel marked it as not being for sale anymore, all because he said he'd want to buy it. He glanced from the device to Gabriel, saw Gabriel smiling at him, and he shook his head. Gabriel grinned and nodded. 

"Nut," Sam muttered. 

"Sticks and stones, Sam," Gabriel said before turning his attention back to the person in front of him, a young woman who was having trouble with a leaking atomizer, judging by the bits of conversation Sam caught as he browsed. Sam also heard him saying something about better [O-rings](https://img.fasttechcdn.com/541/5411100/5411100-5.jpg) before rummaging in one of the drawers of odds and ends he kept back there. "Now, how about you go outside and try it with the thicker ring. If, after a few hits, it's still leaking, come back in and I'll either try something else or give you a new one," he said. 

"Thanks, Gabriel," she said. "I'll be right back. I wanna get juice, too. Since I'm here." 

"Your usual?"

She nodded and smiled. He smiled back at her. As she took her device outside, Gabriel turned to the bottles of juice, plucked two larger bottles from his own brand, and set them on the counter near his computer. 

"And what can I do for you, handsome?" Gabriel asked Sam. 

Sam laughed and shook his head. He was growing accustomed to Gabriel's light (or heavy) flirtations, accepting them as part of his quirky shopkeeper routine, but he still liked to think there was something in those words that were for him and were not part of an act. 

"Juice and coils," he said, smiling at Gabriel as he leaned against the counter. "I've finally run out of those pre-made coil things. The last ones are tasting a little... gross." 

"You had... four, right?"

"Yeah, [two of the square-ish ones](https://img.fasttechcdn.com/201/2010102/2010102-7.jpg)... and [two of the round ones](https://img.fasttechcdn.com/317/3172200/3172200-11.jpg) that look open at the top?" Sam said. "I have the---" 

"I remember which ones you're using," Gabriel interrupted as he reached down to a shelf Sam couldn't see and grabbed two packages that contained five coil units that could be screwed into his atomizer. After sliding the boxes across the counter, he said, "What juice are you in the mood for?" 

"More of the maple banana cream, for sure," Sam said. "It's like crack!" 

Gabriel laughed. "That's music to my ears," he said, before he glanced back at the rows of juice behind him. "How do you feel about pistachios?" he asked. 

Sam's brow scrunched a little. "In what context?" 

"I have a pistachio blend with a cookie base... really, it's more like pistachio cream. Sweet but not too sweet," Gabriel said. 

Sam nodded. "Sounds good. In a six?" 

"Sure. Still a twelve for the banana?"

He nodded again. He preferred Gabriel's mixes to the other brands he carried. The other juices were so sweet---too sweet---that the flavours were almost overpowered by that one quality. Gabriel's juices didn't have that over-the-top sweetness; he found it surprising, given Gabriel's love of candy and confections, but he assumed it was because he enjoyed the flavourings and wanted to highlight them instead of pure sweetness. 

"Anything else?" Gabriel asked. 

"Nah, that's good for now," Sam said. "How are you?" 

"I'm fine," he replied. He turned, grabbed the bottles Sam wanted, and added, "Things are good. Quiet. The usual." 

"What do you like to do for fun?" Sam asked. 

"Binge watch things on Netflix and sleep?" Gabriel said on a little chuckle. "Seriously, Sam. I'm boring." 

"I doubt that," Sam said. "Besides, Netflix and snoozing sounds really good to me." 

"Don't get much time to relax these days?" Gabriel asked. 

Sam snorted. "If I'm not at the shop, I'm home sketching designs for clients," he said. "And if for some reason I'm not working... well, Dean usually finds something I should be doing." 

A week ago, Dean decided they needed to clean out their supply closet. Sam spent hours after closing their shop in that cramped space, taking inventory and tossing the things they didn't use or need anymore. Two nights ago, Dean asked him to update his portfolio. Sam was still working on that one, bouncing between his physical book and their website's gallery. It helped that Dean was working more, too, but Sam wished he'd find a distraction to keep him from missing cigarettes that didn't involve him in any way. 

"Older brother, right?" Gabriel asked. 

"Yeah." 

"That's just how they are," Gabriel said. "He still smoke-free?" 

Sam snorted. "He's on the patch _and_ chewing the gum. I'm scared he's gonna overdose." 

"Is he giving you a hard time?" 

"No more than usual," Sam said. "When the loose cough started, he was sure I was doing something dangerous. But, it passed like you said it would and I'm still vaping, so he's knocked it off a bit." 

Gabriel nodded. "It's just the PG. It's a humectant, loosens everything up." Then, he smiled. "If you ever need a break from him, pop by just before closing. We can watch a movie or something---I live upstairs." 

"That sounds like fun," Sam said. 

"Are you allergic to dogs?" Gabriel asked. 

"You have a dog?" 

"Two of them," Gabriel said. 

Sam knew he was wearing what Dean called his "goofy lookin'" expression, but he didn't care. He'd always loved dogs, but never had one of his own; they'd moved around too much in his youth to have a good, stable home for a pet and living with his brother (who swore he was allergic, though Sam had his doubts) didn't make for a good home, either. 

"They love attention, so you should definitely stop by some time," Gabriel said. 

"I will, thanks," Sam said. "Maybe not for a few days, but, I will." 

"Busy schedule?" 

Sam nodded. "We have a couple artist friends in town. They're inking us, we're inking them. Doing an article for our websites, a photo spread... the works." 

"Nice," Gabriel said with a smile. "What are you getting done?" 

"Not sure yet," Sam admitted. "Jody's been designing some stuff, and I have a few ideas. We're sorting it out now." 

"What's Dean-o getting?" 

Sam grinned. "Donna wants to tattoo Dean's favourite candies in a little cluster somewhere on his ass." 

Gabriel snorted. "Candy-ass." 

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "He said he'll only get it if she'll let him do the same on her. So, we'll see." 

"What's your friend Jody getting you to put on her?" Gabriel asked. 

Sam smiled. "An open locket with a chain, and some other embellishments. She wanted something for her two adopted daughters... something to acknowledge the date she took them in." 

"That's nice. Young kids?" 

"Teenagers," Sam said. "Alex was a runaway that Jody crossed paths with, and Claire... well, she's kind of a family friend who needed a home. Jody's good people." 

"Sounds like it," Gabriel agreed. "Can't imagine too many people are willing to take in one teen, let alone two." 

Sam nodded. He loved both Jody and Donna as if they were his sisters. They'd been learning together under different artists in the same studio, out on the West Coast, shortly after he and Dean broke away from the family shop in Kansas and all the drama that went with it. Donna still moved around a lot but Jody had a home base near Seattle, where she lived with the girls who had become nieces to Sam and Dean, another part of their wacky, self-made family. 

"She's a pistol," Sam said. "Takes crap from no one. Especially me and Dean." 

Gabriel laughed. "Good. It's good to have someone around like that," he said. He was smiling, but Sam could have sworn he saw traces of sadness around Gabriel's eyes. He wanted to ask about it, but before he could, Gabriel was talking again. "Well, let's ring you up, alright, so you can get back to them?" 

Before Sam could agree or protest, Gabriel was scanning and entering the products into his register computer. Sam watched Gabriel, he could have sworn he saw something shadowed in Gabriel's eyes, something... wet? But as he worked, Gabriel blinked a few times and the negative feeling, whatever it was, faded into his pleasantly neutral mask. Sam could understand---he felt like he'd perfected that mask the first year he and Dean were away from his family---but he suddenly _hated_ seeing it on Gabriel's face. They might not be close, but Sam was coming to care for the man who could make him laugh and forget about his stresses every time he visited and he wished he could do something to help Gabriel feel better. 

An idea struck him and before he had time to fully consider it, he gave it his voice. 

"You should come by tonight," Sam said. "Meet everyone. We're just hanging out and tattooing each other. Shop'll be closed, so you can vape inside... maybe you'll get an idea of what you'd like tattooed _when_ I make it past the six-month mark." 

Gabriel nodded as he typed on his computer. "Sure, maybe... I have to feed Thor and Twix, take 'em for a walk, but..." 

"We'll be at the shop until ten, at the earliest," Sam said. The girl came back into the shop, smiling a little. Sam assumed, as he turned his focus back to Gabriel, that the fix had been successful. He guessed she'd want to pay for her juice and leave, so he knew he had to wrap up things with Gabriel and head back to work. He smiled and added, "You're welcome there, any time. How much do I owe you?" 

"Fifty-four and thirty-two cents," Gabriel said. 

Sam handed over some cash---after his first, larger purchase, he always tried to pay with cash because he knew from personal experience how much banks gouged small businesses for plastic transactions---and put his purchases in his jacket's pockets. Gabriel made change and handed back five dollars and some coins. 

"Receipt?" 

"Yes, please," Sam replied. He shrugged. "Trying to keep track of the damage. Want to see how what I spend on vaping compares to what I'd spend on cigarettes." 

"Dork," Gabriel said with a smile that was softer than the smirk in his usual mask. 

"See you later?" Sam asked. 

"I'll try and make it," Gabriel said, nodding. 

"Good," Sam said, a little flutter of excitement in his chest. "I promise I won't introduce you as my nicotine dealer." 

Gabriel chuckled. "Then how will I make any new sales?" 

Sam laughed and shrugged. "Guess you'll have to get creative," he said before tapping the glass counter and backing away. 

He smiled all the way back to his shop, even after Dean gave him the evil eye for being gone longer than the fifteen minutes he'd promised earlier. 

"Your next appointment's here," Dean said. "And Jody's at your desk, working on your design." 

"Sounds good," Sam said. He took off his coat and hung it on their rack. "I'll just wash up and get to work." 

Dean grunted, but before he could say anything else, Donna called out for him. Sam breathed a sigh of relief (Dean's attitude was so much sharper since he switched tobacco for the patch and gum) and headed back to his area to check on his client.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel takes Sam up on his offer...

Gabriel stood outside of Impala Ink, hands in his pockets. He wanted to go in---he realised early on in Sam's switch to vaping that he'd do almost anything to be around that warm, sunny smile of Sam's---but he felt like he'd be intruding on Sam's family time if he stepped inside the shop. 

The fact that he didn't know Sam all that well was a factor in his internal struggle, too. They talked every time Sam came in---at least once a week, sometimes more---and he did feel like he was getting to know the sasquatch of a man. But, meeting family was a step he wasn't sure he should take. They didn't hang out, not really; he sold Sam his nicotine. 

But he wanted to change that, for the better; he knew going inside would be a step in that direction. 

Laughter rang from inside the shop. Gabriel turned his attention from the art displays in the windows to the glimpses of life he could see beyond the gauzy curtains. A blonde woman was giggling into Sam's shoulder as another man---Dean, he assumed, and seriously, was their whole family beautiful?!---was gesturing and telling a story. Gabriel saw the honest, open mirth on Sam's face and then he was smiling, too, in reaction to the sight. 

"Hey." 

Gabriel turned. A brunette with her arms full of sandwiches and a tray of coffee cups was walking up to him. 

"You're Gabriel, right?" she asked. "Sam said you might stop by." 

"That would make you... Jody?" 

She grinned. "Either Sam described us very well or you took a guess." 

"A guess. I'll admit it," he said. "Nice to meet you." 

"Likewise," Jody replied. "Sam's been singing your praises. I hoped you'd stop by." She adjusted the hold on her packages and motioned to the door. "Be a gentleman and get that for me?" 

Gabriel fumbled the door on the first attempt, but he managed it on the second. Jody grinned at him, sharp and toothy, making Gabriel believe she was someone who could be quite predatorial if they (he) weren't careful. He gave her a ridiculous little half-bow and she snorted before stepping past him and into the shop. 

"Look who I found lurking outside, Sam," Jody called out as she headed to the reception counter to unload the food and drinks. 

Sam turned his attention from Donna. When he saw Gabriel, he smiled the toothiest smile Gabriel had ever seen. It took his breath away for a moment, to have that much joy focused on him. 

"Hiya Samshine." 

"Gabe! You came!" Sam exclaimed, muffling the 'awww' that came from Donna and Jody at, Gabriel thought, the nickname he used. 

"I... well, Thor and Twix were a little sleepy after their romp at the dog park, so..." 

"I'm glad," Sam said. "Guys, this is Gabriel. He runs Heavenly White down the street. Gabriel, this is Dean and Donna, and Jody---" 

"Caught me outside," Gabriel said after nodding and waving at the others. "Nice spot you've got here," he said, as he glanced around. "Looks a little old-timey but modern, too. Love the combo. Can't believe I've never noticed this place before." 

Sam's smile softened and he looked at his brother. Gabriel saw Dean puff his chest up, but he didn't know why Dean was feeling proud (or defensive). Luckily, Sam rescued him before his curiosity got the better of him (as it often did). 

Sam stood, and motioned to the other rooms. "C'mon. Since it's your first time here, lemme show you around," he said. 

"Sure," Gabriel agreed. 

Sam took him past a couple of more private rooms---for clients who didn't want their bodies on semi-public display---and their office before guiding him into an area he declared his space. 

Gabriel was taken aback by the artwork on the walls. Coloured, black and white, fine line-work, splashy abstract painting... all of it beautiful and striking. He knew Sam and Dean had to have talent to hold their own for two years, but to be able to examine so much of it all at once was like a punch to the solar plexus. 

"Wow. This is all yours?" Gabriel asked. 

Sam chuckled and tipped his head down as he put his hands into his back pockets. "Yeah, all of it except for the framed piece above my drawing desk," he said. "Dean found one of Mom's old sketchbooks and he added to a drawing of hers. A Christmas present after we left home." 

"That's beautiful, really, but I think the wings are my favourite," Gabriel said, motioning to a piece of work that wasn't framed but tacked onto a bulletin board. 

"Yeah?" Sam asked. His voice had taken on a lighter or brighter tone, Gabriel couldn't decide which, and his smile stretched a little more. Looking almost shy with a tip of his head, Sam shrugged and said, "I just started that design. Haven't got much of it done, but I like the idea of the wings. And the way the gold tones overlap." 

"It's great. I love the... detail," he said. He chuckled and shrugged. "I don't know art." 

"No, but you know what you like. That's what counts," Sam said. "C'mon. Did you eat? I asked Jody to get extra, just in case." 

"I already ate," Gabriel said. "I'm good. I just came to see you in your natural habitat." 

And if Gabriel were imagining how Sam would look stretched out in the reclining chair bolted to the floor, well, that was no one's business but his own. 

Laughing a little and pulling Gabriel from his thoughts, Sam nodded. "Alright. Well, there's beer in our mini-fridge and Dean's about to get some candy tattooed on his ass. Wanna stay and watch?" 

"At least for a little while," Gabriel agreed. "Donna convinced him?" 

"Yeah, just like I knew she would," Sam said as he led the way back to the office. 

Once inside the room, Gabriel saw a few newspaper articles from the local free paper framed on the walls, as well as photographs of Sam and Dean doing some sort of construction work on the place. Sam looked younger, but sadder, even though he was smiling. Dean was always close to him, his body language protective. Gabriel wondered what happened to bring them there, on their own, but he had a feeling that whatever it was had heavy feelings attached to it.

"Oh, and by the way, complimenting the style of the place earned you big points with Dean. He fought and worked hard to get it the way he wanted," Sam said as he grabbed two different bottles of beer and held them up for Gabriel's choice. Gabriel chose the darker beer, earning a nod of approval from Sam, who kept talking. "I wanted something more contemporary, but Dean wanted to keep as much of the building's original features as possible and enhance the retro vibe." 

"Sorry, kiddo." 

Sam scowled at him. Gabriel chuckled. "Worst one yet?" 

"I'm not a kid." 

"Compared to me you are," Gabriel argued. 

Sam snorted. "Hardly. You're only... what? Five years older? That's nothing." 

"A few more years than that," Gabriel said. 

He remembered Sam saying he was twenty-nine. That meant there was an eight-year gap between them. In his shop, it didn't seem to make a difference, but when the gap was brought to his attention it made him feel a little pervy for thinking the occasional inappropriate thought. 

"So what?" Sam said. "Besides, you're only as old as you feel." 

"Saaam!"

At Jody's shout, Sam rolled his eyes. "I'll be there in a minute!" he called back. He grinned at Gabriel. "Time for me to get my first one done. How are you with a camera?" 

"I can point and shoot, but if you're looking for something artistic..." 

Sam snorted. "God, no. Donna's the photographer and she'll set something up before they leave. We just need some process shots. Since you're here..." 

"Put me to work," Gabriel said, hoping that having a project would keep his mind off of the needles and the (possibility of) blood. He wasn't the type to faint around blood, but in combination with needles of any kind it could make him a little queasy. "I assume you have a camera?" 

"Donna brought hers," Sam said. 

"Then, she better show me how to use it," Gabriel said. "And I want you all to sign waivers that say I'm not to be held accountable if the photos turn out terrible." 

Sam laughed, guiding Gabriel back to the main room with a warm, large hand between his shoulder blades.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam finally comes over to visit Gabriel---and his dogs.

When Sam knocked on the door, he heard barking and Gabriel muttering. Gabriel peeked out into the hall after sliding across the chain and turning the bolt; he grinned when he saw Sam. 

"C'mon in," Gabriel said. "Thor, don't---" 

A tan-and-white corgi launched himself at Sam before Gabriel could finish talking. Sam snorted and squatted down; Thor snuffled and sniffed and licked at Sam's hand before jumping and trying for his face. His wriggling body prevented him from getting much air. Taking pity on his short legs, Sam scooped him up into his arms before standing. 

"Well, you are enthusiastic and not afraid of strangers," Sam commented in a soft voice as Thor snuffled all over his face. 

"Twix is the suspicious one," Gabriel said with a tilt of his head towards the pit bull (Sam thought, judging by her size and the shape of her head) who was standing behind her owner, looking up at Sam with big dark eyes set in the middle of her wide brindle face. "She'll warm up to you... unless you want me to put her in the bedroom?"

Sam blinked. "Why?" 

"Some people are nervous about---" 

"As long as she's fine with a stranger in her home," Sam said, cutting off what Gabriel was about to say (because he knew what those words would have been and he did not want to hear them, because he knew better than that). "Then, I'm fine." 

Sam watched Gabriel's eyes widen before he recovered enough to smile and shrug, a brief surprise before the happy mask. "She'll stop giving you the evil eye once she realises you're not going to steal her food or toys." 

"I brought some snacks and some of that beer you liked last week," Sam said. "So, I think I'll be suitably tempted from her things." 

After snorting, Gabriel looked down at the dog using him as a shield, gave her ear a brief rub, and turned his attention back to Sam. "Welcome, weary traveller, to my humble kingdom," he said with a dramatically silly flourish. 

Sam followed him inside the open-concept apartment, still smiling and still carrying Thor. "You are adorable, but if I don't take this backpack off and give Gabe what I brought, he's going to kick me out for being a bad guest," he murmured to the dog in his arms. "And then I can't come back another time for belly rubs." 

"You keep talking to him like that, he's never gonna let you leave," Gabriel commented, smirking at them both. 

"Well, then, you should know I'm a bear if I'm woken up too early and I prefer evening showers," Sam said. He turned and set Thor down on the hardwood floor before straightening and pulling his messenger bag from against his back. He pulled out six wrapped bottles of beer and a couple packages of candies he knew Gabriel enjoyed. "Payment accepted?" 

"You may stay," Gabriel said, picking up four of the bottles and carrying them into his open kitchen, Twix at his heels. Thor, meanwhile, hopped onto the couch and barked at Sam. "Pet him or throw his ball," he called out as he moved around the cooking space. "He's just going to get yappier until you give in." 

"A familiar experience?" Sam asked. 

"You have no idea. Go ahead and sit down, Sam," Gabriel said. "Turn on Netflix, let Thor claim you as his own private playground, vape as much as you want. I'll be right out." 

Sam exhaled slowly, shaking his head when he heard Gabriel start singing an old country song under his breath---complete with twang---and puttering around the kitchen. Thor gave him another bark or two, wriggling more insistently as he looked up at Sam. One look at that eager (demanding) face had Sam caving to the animal's demands; as soon as Sam was sitting, Thor was in his lap and trying to climb up his chest. 

He lost himself in the scritching behind Thor's ears and the occasional response of a lick to his face. It wouldn't adversely affect their friendship, but Sam was jealous of Gabriel for having such enthusiastic companionship. Twix, too, he was willing to wager, probably greeted Gabriel at the door with a fuss. Being on the receiving end of that excitement, every day, must be uplifting and restorative. Sam had only been at Thor's service (really, the dog might have been shamelessly begging for attention, but he got what he wanted in the end) for a few minutes and the weight of the day's snags were already melting away. 

Laughing as Thor nuzzled his way into Sam's ticklish neck, Sam had to wrap an arm around the busy body to keep him from falling off of his lap (and possibly the sofa). He moved his arm, adjusting it around the corgi, and nearly jumped when a cold nose nudged his hand. 

Slowly, so he didn't spook Twix, he brought his other hand down from Thor's head so she could sniff it if she wanted to reach out. He knew better than to stare at her, but he did glance down from time to time to check on her. 

Sam grinned when Twix licked his fingers. He cooed at her, friendly words he was sure she'd heard from Gabriel, and was rewarded with a little wag of her tail. Over the next few minutes, she warmed up to him a bit more, and by the time Gabriel turned around and left the kitchen area, she'd made her way onto the sofa and at his side.

"Well, there's my Samshine," Gabriel commented as he came back into the main living area of his apartment, a tray of what appeared to be snacks in his arms. "Good work, team." 

At the use of the possessive determiner, Sam felt his insides flutter. He did his best to shrug it off, or to at least hide it from Gabriel's notice, but he knew he was overdosing from canine cuteness and the flutter probably only increased the dopey happiness visible in his face. 

Thor gave another extra butt wiggle, as if he understood and agreed with Gabriel's words, before snuffling into Sam's ear. Sam would forever deny squeaking, but he did make a high-pitched noise as Thor's wet nose brushed over his neck again. 

Gabriel laughed. "Those two are the best cure for a rough day," he said as he sat down next to Sam and placed the tray on the coffee table. "What happened? The ladies drive you crazy?" 

"Oh, no, nothing like that," Sam said quickly. "Donna and Jody are great. Dean's taking them out dancing tonight." 

"And you didn't want to go?" 

Sam snorted. "You know what a six-foot-four man with little coordination looks like on the dance floor? A spaz. A big, uncontrollable spaz. Not going there again unless I have serious incentive." 

Gabriel smiled. "I'm sure it's not that bad," he said. 

"It is," Sam insisted. He snorted. "Besides, I needed a break. Donna and Jody can party, man. And Dean gets bossier when he's... boisterous." 

"Well, you're always welcome here if you need to get away," Gabriel said. 

His eyes and mouth were soft, holding a pleasant and sympathetic expression. Sam wondered if he had experience with bossy siblings, and that was why he made such offers, or if it was only the fact that he and Gabriel were becoming friends, and nothing more. 

And then, the expression was replaced with his usual smirk. 

"So, what are we gonna watch, Samsquatch?" 

Sam chuckled. "Whatever you want," he said. 

"What are you in the mood for?" Gabriel asked. 

"Nothing serious," Sam said after a moment's thought. "Nothing gross." 

"Have you ever watched 'Psych?'" 

Sam shook his head. When Gabriel grinned, his curiosity grew. 

"A fake psychic and his pharmaceuticals-selling friend solve crimes in the most ridiculous ways," Gabriel said. "It's perfect when you wanna kick back and relax." 

He queued up the show and picked up what Sam recognised as Gabriel's favourite mechanical mod. It was copper and had engravings along its surface; there were runes and other elements that seemed to resemble Viking imagery. Sam asked him once where he'd gotten it and Gabriel told him he'd gotten it at a trade show catering to vaping. He used it more than the others; Sam had already filed away the images, had already incorporated them into the designs he'd been sketching for the tattoo Sam planned to offer to Gabriel when he made it past the six-month mark. 

"Vape 'em if you've got 'em," Gabriel said.

Sam chuckled. His device was in his hoodie pocket and Thor was leaning on it. But the weight of the dog was comforting, and he had no desire to make him move. 

"I'll get there," he said as the episode started playing. 

Gabriel grinned at him before taking a hit off of his device. Sam turned his attention to the show to which he was being introduced; between the quirky humour, the dogs demanding attention, and the good company, any stress he'd been feeling melted away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's been a while since I've updated this. I'm sorry about that---and for not being able to promise more timely updates. I'm not in the best headspace these days, and it's hard to do... well, anything. The daily grind is wearing me out. 
> 
> I will keep trying because this story has a special place in my heart, but it might be a while before the next update. Thank you for sticking with me and this little universe :) <3

"Gabe the Babe!" Donna crowed as Gabriel walked into Impala Ink, the reception room full of lights and other photography equipment. "You made it! I thought we'd have to rent a fog machine, but Sam promised you'd be here." 

Gabriel chuckled. "Sam gave me his puppy dog eyes this morning," he said. "I was powerless to resist." 

Donna set down her camera and started tinkering with one of the lights. She looked at him and grinned. "Aren't they just the worst? And by the worst I mean the goshdarn cutest things ever?"

"Lethal weapons," Gabriel agreed. "Can I help with anything?" 

She beckoned him closer. When he was within grabbing distance, she closed her hand around the loose fabric of his canvas jacket and tugged him onto the stool. Gabriel didn't figure out what was going to happen until he saw Donna pick up her camera. 

"I'm not photography material---" 

"Everyone is photography material," Donna said. "And you have a cute face." 

"Uh, Donna..." 

"No one has to see them," she said, smiling a little. "But it would help me to test the lights before everyone gets back. And I want a portrait of you. You're important to Sam so---"

"We've only known each other for a few---" 

Gabriel stopped talking as soon as Donna shot him a 'I see through all your bullshit' look. After swallowing past a sudden nervous lump in his throat, he nodded. Donna's eyes seemed to sparkle at that admission; Gabriel wanted to grimace but something about the joy in her face wouldn't let him downplay whatever it was that he thought (hoped) was developing with Sam. 

"Tell me something," she said quietly, looking away from Gabriel to fiddle with her camera. "Why haven't you asked him out?" 

"Wow, you don't waste any time," he commented. 

"Beating around the bush is for people who are here longer than a couple of weeks," she said, shooting him a little grin. "Also? It's not really my style." 

Gabriel snorted. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his personal vaporizer. It was a regulated device, boxy and metallic, with a rebuildable dripper on top. He fiddled with it instead of answering Donna's question. He wasn't sure what the exact answer was; it was a cluster of excuses and fears, supported by the enjoyment and appreciation of a friendship he hadn't had for very long but hoped would last a while. 

"I'm gonna start snapping," she said, holding up her camera. "Vape, talk, do whatever you want. If I need you to move a certain way, I'll tell you." 

"Sounds good," Gabriel said. 

She fiddled with a light, then turned back to him. He was mid-vape when the camera clicked and on his exhale, a long cloud he sent up into the air above him, she clicked again. 

"Tell me about yourself," she said. 

"What do you want to know?" 

"Let's start easy: why did you start a vape shop?" she asked. 

Gabriel smiled and shrugged. "Vaping was the only thing that helped me get my health back... and I wanted to help others do the same," he said, as Donna snapped more pictures of him. "Seeing former smokers, people who would probably get lung or heart disease of some sort... seeing them come in, breathing better, looking better... it might sound corny, but that's what helps me get up in the morning." 

"Sam is gonna quit smoking for good this time, I can see it," Donna murmured. "Dean... if he makes it, it'll be through sheer stubbornness and a sugar high. He's determined to prove to Sam he doesn't need a crutch to quit." 

"It's not a crutch," Gabriel said after snorting. "More like a lateral move, I guess. But it's a healthier alternative." 

"Hey, you didn't see Sam the last time he tried to quit," Donna said on a little chuckle. "Cranky pants and sour faces. So hard to watch. This time, he's all grins, like it's a piece of cake." 

"It could taste like cake," Gabriel said after an inhalation of vapor that tasted like chocolate doughnuts and coffee. 

Donna laughed. "Definitely better than the smell of smoke."

They continued to talk about vaping---something Gabriel was comfortable discussing---for a few minutes, until Donna decided to bring the conversation back around to Sam. Gabriel felt like he should have been prepared for the change in topics, but Donna had a way of getting his guard down without him realising it had happened. He'd been laughing at her reaction to a story about a customer who thought he'd have to drink the juice through his device, and then she turned around and asked: "What's your favourite thing about Sam?" 

Gabriel floundered for a moment. Then, while looking down at the device in his hands, he said, "His smile." 

"Megawatts brightness when he turns it on, huh?" 

"God, yeah," Gabriel agreed. "He walks into my shop and just... instant cheer." 

"He's good at that," Donna agreed. "When you come up in conversation or just come over, we see a little extra cheer on his face, too." 

Gabriel snorted. "Donna---" 

"Look, I know you don't know me, but I've known that kid for years," she said, "and he has been a Gloomy Gus off and on for a while now. You show up and he's all grins, all the time." 

"He is a kid," Gabriel muttered, mostly to himself. 

Donna grunted. "He's a grown man and you're just making excuses," she said. 

"I---" 

"Bad relationship juju?" she asked. 

"What?" 

Donna paused in her taking pictures to look over her camera at him. "The reason you're not grabbing him and stamping him down?" 

"I can't grab him and stamp him down!" Gabriel exclaimed. 

"Yes, you can!" Donna insisted. 

"I'm a long-term... soloist," Gabriel said with a grimace. 

"Then you're ready for a duet!" Donna exclaimed. 

Gabriel chuckled and shook his head. "I don't know," he said quietly. "We're... I like how things are. I like him coming by, I like talking with him. I am not going to screw that up by being weird at him." 

"Boys," Donna said on a sigh. 

He'd opened his mouth to refute her exasperation, but the words died in his throat when Dean came in through the front door, followed by Jody and Sam. As soon as Sam saw him, he grinned; Gabriel heard Donna's camera shutter in action, but he barely registered it as he greeted Sam, and then Jody and Dean. 

"We got all the clothes but Dean wouldn't let me stop to find a pair of chaps to frame his new ink," Jody said, grinning as she came over to kiss Donna's cheek. "How's the set-up?" 

"I've got some great shots of this guy," Donna said. "He's very photogenic." 

Gabriel shook his head. "She's delusional." 

Sam walked over and draped his arm over Donna's shoulders, peeking over to look down at the back of her camera. "Oh, I like that one," he said. "Gabe, you look so happy. Was she telling you her bear joke?" 

"The bear joke isn't that funny, Sam," Jody said. "It's great, though, the picture." 

To give himself something to do as they stared at his face on the back of Donna's camera, he adjusted the wattage on his personal vaporizer and took a hit off of it. The clouds let him block out the others, temporarily, and when the vapour faded he was treated to Sam's amused smile and laughter. 

"Show off," Sam said. 

"You're just jealous," Gabriel shot back, grinning. 

"I am happy with a reasonable amount of vapour," Sam said, shrugging. 

Dean rolled his eyes. "Right. And you don't try to fog up our place," he commented. "I think you're afraid of getting shown up, Sammy." 

As Donna and Jody cooed and teased him, Sam ducked his head and chuckled. Baiting him had Sam sitting on another chair next to Gabriel and before either of them knew what was happening, they were blowing clouds and laughing in front of Donna's camera lens. 

Gabriel may not have blown as big a cloud as he could have; he didn't want to show off too much. Still, Sam was doing respectably considering that he wasn't able to customize any of his gear. Gabriel wanted to see him get to rebuilding coils and dripping atomizers; he wanted to see Sam turn vaping into a hobby, not only because then there would be a good chance he'd continue to see Sam after the six months of not smoking. 

A joking comment from Jody had Sam laughing, draping his arm around Gabriel's shoulders as he collapsed into giggles. Gabriel tensed for a split second before he allowed himself to lean into Sam's side, smiling with everyone else---Dean included. When he glanced at Donna, she was grinning and she gave him a little eyebrow waggle as if to say "I told you so" or something else along those lines. 

They horsed around a little bit more before they got down to the business of photographing the new tattoos, with Gabriel observing and blowing vapour when Donna wanted a foggy effect around one of her subjects. He found it a little nerve wracking, especially when Donna asked him to blow a stream of cloudy vapour across Sam's ribcage (and the loose feathers in various colours that Jody had tattooed on Sam's right side), but overall the experience was positive, full of laughter and good conversation. 

At the end of the night, he said good-bye to the ladies who were leaving the next day. But before he could head home, he received a (surprising) handshake from Dean and a(n also surprising) hug from Sam. He walked home that night grinning like a doofus, remembering the weight of Sam's body against his, and trying to burn it into his mind so he'd never forget it if it never happened again.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam hesitated outside of Gabriel's shop. The burst of nerves he'd come to associate with being in the presence of his new friend was tingling through his insides; he hoped his cheeks weren't flushed, or that the nerves weren't expressing themselves in another way on his face. Despite what Donna believed---that Gabriel _like-_ liked him---Sam didn't want to push or ruin the bond they seemed to have forged. 

After a deep breath, he pushed himself to go inside. He wanted to buy juice; he wanted to show Gabriel the pictures Donna had finished editing. When he finally walked into the shop, though, it wasn't Gabriel who greeted him first, but Twix and Loki. 

"Hey, you two," Sam said as he crouched down to pet and fuss over them. "Where's your guy?" 

"Over here, feeling left out," Gabriel said from the door to his storage and mixing area. 

Sam grinned. "Want me to come over and rub your ears, too?" 

Gabriel's laugh was a good sound. Sam liked his chuckles and snorts, but laughter that made his eyes scrunch and his shoulders shake was Sam's favourite of Gabriel's ways to express his amusement. The disappointment of not getting to reach out and touch Gabriel faded pretty quickly in the presence of that display. 

"Nah, but you can come out front with me and taste this new juice mix I'm working on," Gabriel said. He held up two mechanical mods. "Bourbon cream and pastry. Interested in giving me notes?" 

"Oooh, yes, please," Sam said as he gave Twix's broad head a final pat before standing. 

"Thor'll watch the goods while we're outside," Gabriel said. 

"And Twix will watch him?" 

Gabriel grinned. "Probably." 

He took Sam back out through the front door, passing him one of the tube mods as they walked. Sam tested its weight and pushed the button a few times to prime the coils the way Gabriel taught him to do; as soon as the glass door closed again, Sam brought the mouthpiece to his lips and pushed the button. 

A doughnut or pastry flavour burst over his tastebuds first, as he inhaled. It was sweet and the sweetness lingered as he exhaled. The bourbon was a little heavy, almost making it seem like wine or rum, but it wasn't bad. It wasn't the worst flavour of juice he'd ever tasted. But, it wasn't the best of Gabriel's mixes he'd ever tried. 

"Not quite?" Gabriel asked. 

"It's... I don't know," Sam said. 

He didn't want to give bad notes---taste was subjective after all---but he wanted to help Gabriel make it the best mix it could be. He also didn't want to hurt Gabriel's feelings. They were just getting closer... and he wasn't sure critical notes were the best way to do that. 

"That one's with the bourbon flavouring at one percent," Gabriel said. "Might be too much. But I have another couple variations ready to try." 

"Yeah?" 

Gabriel nodded. "Vape that dry and we'll drip the new mix." 

Sam brought the atomizer to his lips, but Gabriel spoke again. 

"And Sam? Honest notes when you're done," he said. 

Sam smiled and nodded before lifting the rig to his mouth again. He vaped, exhaling larger clouds than he was used to, and he enjoyed the experience. In the beginning, he hadn't understood the appeal of blowing large clouds of vapour into the air. But, there was something satisfying about the practice---even if it earned him disapproving looks from pedestrians when he vaped on the sidewalk outside of Impala Ink. 

"Hey. If I want to get into rebuilding..." 

Gabriel grinned at him. "Yeah?" 

"Yeah," Sam said, nodding. "I like the idea of customizing." 

"Then we'll get you set up," Gabriel said. "Some gear I have, some gear you'll need to pick up other places. We'll make an afternoon of it. Go get the stuff you need, stop at the ice cream parlour for sustenance, then we can come back to the shop and I'll show you how to use everything." 

"You can do that?" Sam asked. "I mean, the shop---" 

Gabriel waved his free hand. "Will still be there. I'll post on the Facebook page that we're closing early a few days in advance," he said. "How about Thursday? It's usually a quiet day." 

"You sure?" 

"I am, Samalam." 

Chuckling, Sam took another hit on the vaporizer Gabriel had given him. He pulled the cap off of the [rebuildable dripping atomizer](http://www.3fvape.com/108202-thickbox_default/mad-dog-style-rda-rebuildable-dripping-atomizer-red-aluminum-alloy-pei-24mm-diameter.jpg) as he exhaled to reveal the coils and cotton Gabriel had installed. Familiar enough with Gabriel's gear, he estimated he had another inhalation or two left before the cotton was nearly dry. 

"Is it easier to rebuild on one of these?" Sam asked. 

"Yeah. The deck's bigger. But, you have the rebuildable attachment for one of your tanks, we can try with that," Gabriel replied. "Or, I can loan you one of my RDA's that I don't use anymore." 

"You don't have---" 

Gabriel cut him off again. "If you decide you like it, you can buy one." 

"But---" 

"I don't want our friendship to be off-balance," Gabriel said. 

Sam snorted and looked down at Gabriel. "Are you going to keep interrupting me?" 

"Maybe," he replied, smirking up into Sam's face. 

"Fine. I graciously accept your offer," Sam said. 

"Good boy." 

Sam felt his cheeks turning pink, so he turned his attention to the contraption in his hand. Gabriel's voice, and those words, made his insides tighten; he'd never thought he would have any sort of reaction to praise, no matter how benign it was, but Gabriel was different. He fiddled with the atomizer again, checking the cotton, but before he could put the cap back on the deck, he heard Gabriel's voice. 

"Ready for the next attempt?" he asked. 

"I... uh... yeah, I think so," Sam said. He showed Gabriel the coils and cotton. "Pretty dry." 

Gabriel smiled, the smirk faded into something softer, and he held up the first dropper bottle. "Alright. So, what did you think of this one?" 

"The pastry base was like a doughnut," Sam replied. "Cakey. Good. But, the cream was faint... and kind of got drowned by the bourbon? And with all the sweetness, it sort of tasted like wine." 

As he plucked the mechanical mod from Sam's hand, Gabriel's smile stretched wider. "Thanks," he said. "I appreciate the honest notes." 

Sam felt his blush increase, his skin warming, but luckily Gabriel had turned his attention to the device and adding liquid from a bottle he'd had in his jacket pocket. 

"This one is point-five of bourbon and a bit more vanilla cream," Gabriel said as he dripped the juice onto the cotton. "And the same pastry base as the last one." He passed the mod back to Sam, who put the cap back onto the deck. "Let me know what you think." 

The small changes Gabriel had made were _amazing_. Sam inhaled and coughed as a moan tried to escape on the exhale. Gabriel's hand patted the middle of his back, lingering a little as Sam settled and his breathing evened out. 

"Easy, tiger," Gabriel murmured. When Sam looked at him, his smile had dimmed. "Was it that bad?" 

"No!" Sam said quickly. "It was... I... I really like it." 

"Yeah?" 

Nodding, Sam held up the mod, readying himself to take another hit off of it. "Lemme finish and I'll give you some notes." 

"All right," Gabriel agreed. 

They fell into a little routine, leaning against the building and vaping in near-silence. Gabriel fidgeted, but that didn't bother Sam or disturb their peace; if anything, Sam found it relaxing because it was something Gabriel always did, even when he was resting. When he was finished vaping the second version of Gabriel's recipe, Sam was reluctant to speak and break the easy peace that had fallen over them. He waited until Gabriel was finished, until the other man was looking at him with an expectant look on his face, before he gave in and spoke. 

"Much better," he said. "The bourbon's fainter, more like on the exhale only, and the cream is much more upfront. Like sitting on the doughnut." 

"Still too sweet?" Gabriel asked. 

"I don't... think so?" 

"All right---" 

"Can I have a bit more?" Sam asked. "Just... want to be sure." 

Gabriel chuckled. "There's one more to taste, don't forget," he said, as he reached for the mod and took it from Sam's hand. "And I demand notes on it before I do my job and sell you whatever you came to buy." 

"I... well, I wanted to get a bottle of that pineapple smoothie juice," Sam said. He watched Gabriel drip more of the liquid onto the coils. "But, I, uh, also wanted to show you some pictures." 

Grinning up at him, Gabriel said, "Dirty pictures from your boudoir session, I hope?" 

After taking the vaporizer back from Gabriel, Sam rolled his eyes. "I keep those in a secret safe," he joked. A traitorous part of his mind wanted to conjure images of Gabriel in a boudoir session; he did his best to squash that thought before it could take root in his mind. He smiled and nudged his elbow into Gabriel's arm before speaking again. "No, dork, the pictures from Donna! She finished editing them yesterday and sent 'em. I thought you'd want to see---" 

"Ooooh, gimme your phone," Gabriel said. "I'll look, you vape." 

Sam fished his phone out of his pocket. Before he could unlock the home screen, Gabriel snatched it out of his hand. A few quick presses of the main buttons yielded nothing but the password prompt; Gabriel pouted and Sam smiled. 

"The password is one-nine-eight-three," Sam said. 

Gabriel grinned and typed in the password. "That's original," he said. He looked down at the screen, glimpsing the daily calendar Sam had been checking before he set off to Gabriel's shop. "Busy afternoon." 

"A little," Sam agreed. "But it's mostly flash art, so it won't be hard. Exit out of that and the icon for my photo albums should be on the main screen." 

Gabriel did as Sam instructed. A quick scroll through the end of the camera roll showed pictures of Donna and Jody, of Sam and Dean with people Gabriel didn't know, and of tattoo art and vape gear---but no pictures from the night Gabriel joined them. 

"Sam?" 

He took the phone from Gabriel's hand and scrolled through the photos himself. When he couldn't find them, he realized they were still in his e-mail. 

"Shoot. Sorry. They're in my e-mail," he explained. He found the message from Donna and gave Gabriel the phone. "Just scroll through." 

Donna had saved her teasing of Sam and his crush on Gabriel for their texting conversation, so Sam felt safe letting Gabriel look at what she'd sent him. His secret wouldn't ruin their friendship because Gabriel wouldn't uncover his secret. Not unless he looked at Donna's text messages---or Jody's text messages, though the secret was more cryptically discussed in those---and Sam was paying close enough attention to Gabriel that he'd know if Gabriel went rummaging for more information. 

"She's an amazing photographer," Gabriel said as he looked at a picture of one of the feathers Jody had inked into Sam's skin. He smirked. "But, then, she had a great subject, too." 

Sam watched Gabriel's smirk fade as he scrolled to a picture of his own face. Deciding to cheer up his friend (and to risk a bit of the truth), Sam said, "She had a great subject there, too." 

Gabriel snorted. "Whatev---" 

"No, not whatever," Sam insisted. 

"Sam." 

"Gabe." 

Gabriel's ears turned pink. Sam would have teased him about it if it weren't so adorably endearing. 

"I... well, thanks," Gabriel mumbled. 

"You're welcome. The next one's one of my favourites," Sam said, gesturing down to the phone that seemed to be nearly forgotten in Gabriel's hand. 

When Gabriel scrolled down to it, and saw the two of them laughing against each other with a couple clouds of vapour fading above them and their devices in their hands, he smiled. When he looked up at Sam, Gabriel didn't look uncomfortable or embarrassed anymore. 

"That was a fun night," Gabriel said. 

Sam grinned. "Yeah, it was." 

He glanced down and saw Gabriel skim past the photograph of Dean, ass and candy tattoo bared to the world, and he felt a little relief at that, at the fact that Gabriel didn't linger to admire his older brother. He was used to Dean's physical attributes garnering all the attention; but, he didn't want to watch the man he _may_ like ogle his brother. 

"Dean wants to make that one a poster," Sam said. 

Gabriel snorted. "For the shop? God, I'm sorry." 

"I know, right?" Sam said after huffing out a little laugh. "He forgets I might not want to see his ass every day. Donna says she's gonna put it in her shop, with his phone number scrawled in one of the bottom corners." 

Grinning, Gabriel handed the phone back to Sam. "Send me the good ones?" 

"Not Dean's ass?" 

"No," Gabriel said with a shake of his head. "Just the ones of us vaping, maybe?" 

Sam's cheeks ached with how much he was smiling. He nodded. A few keystrokes and an exchanged number later, Gabriel's phone was buzzing with Sam's text of images. 

"So. Thursday?" Gabriel asked. "We'll hit up a hardware store or two and get you all set up to try rebuilding?" 

"Thursday works," Sam agreed. "Thanks, Gabe."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel teaches Sam how to rebuild coils...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: For information about rebuilding (which I totally recommend because it gets a vaper away from depending on pre-fab coils and can be cheaper; I'm all about self-sufficient vaping, especially with all the regulations and laws coming into effect these days), talk to someone at a local vape shop, ask them questions about gear and SAFETY and make sure you get all the information you need. For an online starting point, check out [X](http://guidetovaping.com/2014/01/09/dont-hesitate-rebuildable-atomizers-are-easier-than-you-think/) and [X](https://vapingcheap.com/rba-rda-guide-rebuildable-atomizers/) and [X](https://atomizerwick.com/blog/how-to-rebuild-an-atomizer-the-beginners-guide/). 
> 
> (Also? This chapter is in no way a guide to rebuilding. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail. I will never mind questions about the process via inbox or im, here or on Tumblr, but I'm not a pro.)

"My hands are too big, Gabe." 

Instead of using his words to say something obvious and inappropriate, Gabriel snickered. Sam glared at him over the counter, over the bits of wire and pieces of equipment. When Sam softened his frustrated expression with a little quirk of one corner of his mouth, Gabriel laughed. 

"Yes, yes, I'm hilarious, I know," Sam mumbled. 

He looked back down at his work, the mangled coil on the deck of one of Gabriel's old [Tugboat](https://vapingcheap.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Tugboat-V2-Clone_breakdown.jpg) [atomizer](http://ironmouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/DSC0531.jpg), and then he picked up the screwdriver he'd used to secure the coil in place. After a little sigh, Sam loosened the screws. The coil, once extricated from the posts, got dropped down onto the small pile of kanthal wire scraps and coil rejects. 

"You're pushing too hard on the tweezers," Gabriel said. 

"How about you do it for me?" Sam asked. 

Gabriel shook his head, but he smiled. "You're going to get this." 

"Doesn't feel like it," Sam said, his voice quiet and grumpy. 

"Yeah, and you said that about actually wrapping the coils a little while ago," Gabriel said. He came around to Sam's side of the counter. "You're getting it," he added. "Don't psych yourself out. It's fiddly. I still fumble and I've been doing it for years." 

Sam inhaled slowly. As he exhaled, he nodded and clipped another piece of wire from its spool. 

Gabriel watched him wrap the twenty-four gauge wire around another of Sam's newly purchased screwdrivers; the first time he tried, his seven-wrap coil had been uneven with plenty of gaps, but Sam had gotten the hang of coiling the wire around the thin post and his most recent attempts were much better. 

When Sam had two more coils on the countertop, ready to be used, Gabriel pointed to the atomizer deck sitting in the [resistance reader](https://www.coil-master.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/coil-master-ohm-meter-4-600x600.jpg). 

"Try again," he said. 

Sam nodded and used the screwdriver he'd used for wrapping to help him put the ends of the wire into each of the holes on the posts. It was tricky, especially when one wasn't familiar enough with the process; Gabriel still mucked up his build if he was in a hurry or wasn't paying attention. 

"Just keep your thumb and index finger on them when you screw in that centre post," Gabriel advised. "Just... barely touching them." 

"To make sure they don't stick out more than they should?" Sam asked. 

Gabriel smiled. "Exactly. If the coils touch the walls of the top cap or the top of it... it could short. Also, you'd probably bang them up putting the cap on," he explained. "If you use the screwdriver to push the ends of the coil into the holes, it's light enough to stay put if you rest your finger against it. A delicate artist's touch here, Samshine." 

"I'm a klutz." 

"I've seen your work. I know you're not," Gabriel replied. 

Sam reached up and rubbed at his beanie's brim where it rested against his forehead. Then, he took another deep breath and resumed working on securing the coils into the atomizer's deck. Gabriel hummed a little sound he meant to be encouraging as Sam tightened the last screw. 

"All right." 

Gabriel put his hand on Sam's shoulder for a brief squeeze---and tried not to think too much about the muscles underneath his shirt. 

"Just slide the screwdriver in and pull up and towards the centre?" Sam asked. 

"Yep," Gabriel said. "These coils are pretty close contact, so let's leave the tweezers until you're ready to fire them." 

"Or in case I mess it up again." 

"You're not going to," Gabriel murmured. He nudged Sam with his hip. "Just try to get them above the post holes, close to the posts but not touching. Whether or not they're perfectly lined up with the air holes... that's not a big deal. Air will still get to them if they're in the ballpark." 

After a little jerky nod, Sam started positioning the coils. Gabriel's smile stretched into a grin as he watched Sam work; he had a feeling that build would be a success. When Sam pulled the screwdriver out of the second coil, Gabriel wanted to cheer but he settled for squeezing Sam's shoulder again. 

"There!" Gabriel crowed. "That's what you're aiming for!" 

Sam smiled and rubbed his head again. "Okay. What's next?" 

"Now, you're gonna turn that on," he said, pointing to the resistance reader, "and check to make sure it matches what the calculator said." 

"Twenty-four gauge kanthal, seven wraps, two coils around that screwdriver... should be around point-four ohms." 

Gabriel nodded. 

Sam flipped the small switch on the black box and grinned when the display told him his coils read as point-three-nine ohms. 

"Nearly perfect," Gabriel said. "Turn that off and take the deck off. We'll put it on your mod now." 

Sam unscrewed the deck from the reader and into his regulated mod. He pressed the fire button five times to turn it on and then he looked at the little screen on the side. "It's reading the same on this," he said. "It says the volts are... around two?" 

"You're going to want to turn that up a bit," Gabriel advised. "For vaping, I still say you'll want it around three or three and a half. But, if you like a hotter vape, you can crank it up. For firing, it can be a bit higher, too." 

Sam adjusted the wattage on his device and looked at Gabriel. When he held up the tweezers, readying them for Sam to take, Sam frowned. 

"You can do this," Gabriel said. "Delicate touch. Fire the coils until they start glowing, then press each one a bit. Then fire again and repeat. Until the coils are glowing evenly." 

"Yeeeeah." 

As Sam worked, his face a perfect example of concerned concentration, Gabriel pulled out his phone and silently snapped a couple photographs of Sam and his coils. He wanted the cuteness of a focused Sam preserved for later---but he would only ever admit to wanting to capture Sam's achievement if he were asked why he took the photos. 

"I saw that," Sam muttered, not looking away from the task in his hands. 

"No, you didn't," Gabriel replied. 

Sam snorted. 

Gabriel watched him fire the coils again, warming them up, and he grinned when the wire was glowing an evenly distributed orange. He waited until Sam put his device down before giving his shoulder another squeeze. 

"Looks good to me." 

Sam looked at him. "Yeah?" 

"Yep! So, now, we need [cotton](https://www.v8.com.my/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Native_Wicks_How.png)," Gabriel said as he picked up the bag of cotton wicking and a pair of scissors he kept at the counter. "Take some of this, pull it apart to get a bit that you think will fit in those coils, and thread it through when the metal's cooler." 

When Sam got the coils wicked with cotton, Gabriel felt like celebrating. Sam did, too, judging by the grin on his face. 

Without saying anything, Gabriel handed over a bottle of juice. It didn't have a label---yet---because it was one of his newer recipes. When Sam tasted it, he hoped Sam would taste a peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich with a hint of caramel and bourbon. He'd been trying to mix a juice Sam would like as a treat, aside from his current mixes in his commercial juice line, and he felt like he finished the recipe at just the right time. 

Sam dripped the juice onto the cotton the way he'd seen Gabriel do it---and the way he'd done it when he was helping Gabriel test flavours---and when the cotton was completely saturated he looked at Gabriel. 

"Fire it for a while. In pulses," Gabriel advised. "The cotton sometimes has a cotton-y taste at first. When the cotton isn't as soaked, drip again, and then you can put the top cap on and give it a whirl." 

After the room was full of sticky-smelling clouds, Sam put more of the liquid on the coils. 

He sniffed. "What is this? Something new?" 

"Maybe." 

Sam smiled. "I'm going to find out." 

"I know you will." 

Sam put the drip tip into the cap and slid the whole thing down onto the deck. He turned down the wattage on his mod and brought it up to his lips to fire and inhale the vapour. 

When he did inhale, he moaned almost immediately. Gabriel would have grinned if the sound hadn't given him all sorts of naughty ideas. Instead, Gabriel had to shift away and resist the urge to kiss Sam before he exhaled. 

"Oh my god, that's good," Sam said through the cloud of vapour. 

"Yeah?" 

"It's like... banana and peanut butter and... and something else. I don't care what. It's so good, Gabriel!" Sam exclaimed. "When are you putting this on your shelves?" 

Gabriel smiled and looked down at the counter in front of them. "I'm not." 

"What the fuck?" Sam replied. "Gabe, it's del---" 

"It's something private. Not for sale." 

Sam frowned. "I don't get it." 

"Well, it's... something I made." 

Sam's frown turned into another smile. "Duh." 

"For you," Gabriel added quietly. 

The silence that stretched between them made Gabriel nervous. He fidgeted for a moment before deciding to distract himself by checking his register and debit machine, but he didn't get to move away from Sam's side because Sam wrapped his arms around Gabriel's shoulders and squeezed him into a hug. 

Sam was hugging him. Before he could talk himself out of brushing off the gesture, Gabriel was hugging him back. Sam was impossible to resist---that was his story and he was sticking to it. 

"It's delicious," Sam murmured. "Thank you." 

"I'm really glad you like it," Gabriel murmured back. 

"What are you gonna call the mix?" 

"I was gonna call it 'Drunken PB and B,' but it says 'Treat for Samshine' on the bottle in the back," Gabriel replied. When Sam laughed into his shoulder, Gabriel smiled and closed his eyes. "Any time you want more, there'll be a couple hundred millilitres of it at my mixing station. Just bring your bottle back and I'll refill it." 

Sam released him, but he didn't stop smiling at him. Even later in the day, after they went upstairs and ordered a pizza to go with their plans of Netflix and puppy time, Sam's smile was ever-present. 

Gabriel's smile remained well into the evening, too.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Dean have a little falling out...

"Hey sweet-ass." 

Sam snorted into his sketchbook as Donna's voice rang out from Dean's tablet; Dean chuckled and called Donna a few of his favourite nicknames for her. They flirted with each other like they breathed, though Sam suspected it wasn't ever going to go anywhere. When Sam came back into Dean's life, he wondered if they had hooked up at some point, but when he asked Dean he got a glare for his trouble and Sam never asked again. 

"How's the shop?" Dean asked. 

"Oh, you know," Donna replied. "Same old. Dumb kids wanting symbols they don't understand and will probably regret. Got to work on my fave girl, though. Her sleeve's coming together real good." 

"Send me pics, would ya?" 

"I will when it's healed," she promised. "How are things in your neck of the woods?"

"We're good. Right, Sam?" 

Sam looked up from his drawing---though it nearly killed him to tear his eyes from his current subject---and he smiled just as Dean turned the tablet around so the camera would see him. 

"Hey, Donna," Sam called out. "We're good." 

"You show Gabe the Babe those pictures?"

"I did," Sam said. "He liked your idea about Dean's ass poster and the phone number." 

Dean huffed and turned the tablet back to his face. "You're not doing that," he said, scowling. "Promise me, Donna." 

Donna's laughter rang out through their small apartment. "You wanted to put that up in your shop! I don't see what the difference is!"

"My phone number wouldn't be on it---that's the difference!" 

Sam turned his attention back to his drawing as Dean and Donna started debating the issue (and then bickering about it and a few other ridiculous subjects). He'd been trying to get a few images out of his head by putting them on paper---ever since he'd shown Gabriel the pictures Donna took and had that brain-on-safari moment at the mention of boudoir photography---but a few days later he was still drawing pictures of Gabriel in suggestive dress and poses, sometimes alone and sometimes with Sam. It was addictive. It felt a little wrong. But, the drawings were in his private sketchbook and no one would ever see them--- 

\---until Dean yanked the pad of paper out of his hand and looked down at it. 

"Dean!" Sam hollered, jumping to his feet and sending pencils, erasers, and a sharpener flying across the floor. "Give that back---NOW!" 

"Hoo hooo, no way, Sammy," Dean cooed as he hopped out of Sam's reach. "What have we got here? Drawing---" 

He stopped talking, studied the drawings, and then looked at his brother. "Oh my god, could you be more of a girl?" 

Sam leapt for the book but Dean evaded him. They scrambled around the kitchen table before Dean knocked a chair in Sam's path and tripped him. Then Dean ran for the bathroom. 

Growling under his breath, Sam righted himself and stomped after Dean. He reached the locked bathroom door and pounded on it. 

"Dean!" he shouted. "Give it back!" 

"I'm showing Donna. You've got a serious crush here, kid," Dean said in reply. "You think I'm not going to tease you a little?" 

"A little?!" Sam cried out. "This is---fuck! Dean!" 

He pounded on the door again, but it didn't give in to his hits. He didn't want to break it, so he reined in his rage and went to his bedroom. He took two little lengths of wire from his rebuilding kit. When he returned to the door, he dropped to his knees and worked on the lock 

Picking it took longer than he'd hoped since the wire wasn't strong enough to poke the lock out of place, but Dean didn't notice his efforts until Sam opened the door because he'd been laughing at Sam's expense the whole time. 

"Give! That! Back!" Sam said. He yanked the sketchbook out of Dean's hands and closed its cover. "You are such a dick sometimes!" 

"Sam? Honey? I'm sorry."

Sam's anger deflated at the tone of Donna's voice. "It's okay, Donna. I'm not mad at you." 

"You really captured his cuteness."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Donna." 

"Hey, why is she---" 

"Because she isn't an asshole," Sam said, his anger returning as he glared at Dean. "Because the one who is an asshole dragged her into it." 

"Sammy." 

"You don't get to supervise every inch of my life," Sam growled. "Just because you rescued me once doesn't mean I always need your intervention. You don't get to police what I think or feel and you certainly don't get to snoop through my personal sketchbooks and share them with other people!" 

Dean glared back at him. "Well, someone has to make sure you aren't making crappy decisions again---" 

"Dean, stop."

Both of them looked down at the tablet, where it was propped up against a stack of towels on the counter. Donna was frowning; she looked more sad than mad. 

"Sam, honey, take the sketchbook and get out of here. Go for a drive. A vape. Something. Just... walk it off," she advised. "You're right. I got caught up in it because I'm so excited you have a crush on a really great guy. I'm sorry. You go out and calm down and call me later, okay?"

Sam nodded. "Okay." 

Dean looked from Donna to Sam and back to Donna. "You're taking his side?" 

"This isn't about sides, and this isn't about the past," Donna said. "I think you meant to tease, but it turned into something else pretty darned fast." 

After rubbing a hand through his hair, Dean sighed and shifted his weight the way he did when he knew he was in trouble. 

Sam didn't want to hear his excuses or fake apologies. The past was in the past. He wasn't that person anymore and he could tell the difference between good and bad; he felt strong enough and in enough control to speak up in his own defence. He trusted himself, finally; he didn't know why Dean couldn't trust him again and he didn't want to hear Dean list all the reasons he had uncovered in the past. 

So, he took Donna's advice and went for a walk. 

An hour later, when he came home to an empty apartment, he noticed that Dean's car keys were gone. He sighed and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He'd set it to silent when he went on his walk, not wanting to be aware of texts from Dean. When he unlocked the screen, though, he saw that it was Donna and Gabriel who'd been texting and calling. 

He stared at Gabriel's last text--- _Donna said you had a fight with Dean. Twix has been woofing with her concerned face ever since. If you want to put us (I mean her, her!) at ease, send up a flare. Or if you need to rant. Or... if you need anything. We're around._ \---and wondered why Donna would have involved Gabriel in their family drama. Hoping to find an explanation, he flipped over to Donna's messages. 

_I read Dean the riot act, Sam. And I will talk to you as soon as you call me and I'll apologise all over again. I will grovel on Facetime, man. Grovel._

_The sketches are really something. Hot. You should show Gabriel._

_Sam. I know you're safe, but text me when you can._

_Okay, in addition to the groveling, I will provide snot tears. With my septum piercing, it's gonna be really pretty._

_Now, I really hope I'm not overstepping, but I found Gabriel on FB and sent him a message letting him know you might want company tonight. Not in a sexytimes way, I swear! Just in a wanting friendly-face company way. But still, call me when you're okay._

Sam sighed. She was family, too, and she had his best intentions in her heart. He knew Dean meant well, too, but he wished his brother would stop using their history---and Sam's history, in particular---to rule Sam's life the way he'd needed to in order to pull Sam out of his toxic misadventures. He wished his family could just... _move on_. 

Before he called Donna to let her off the hook, he sent a quick text to Dean--- _We're fine. Just... let me pissed and let me grow up. I'm not in trouble like that anymore._ \---and then he called Gabriel. 

"Samshine, are you---where are you? I can---" 

"Gabe, Gabe," Sam interrupted, eyes wide as he heard Gabriel's worried tone of voice. "I'm fi---I'm home now." 

"Donna wouldn't tell me what happened, but she sounded..." 

"Concerned?" 

Gabriel exhaled slowly. "Guilty, too, I think?" he said. "I don't know. I didn't get much out of her, just that you were out walking it off and she hadn't heard from you." 

"And you worried about me?" Sam asked, hating the way his voice wobbled. 

"Yeah, Sam," Gabriel murmured, "I worried about you. Still am. Less so, now, but, yeah." 

Closing his eyes, Sam tucked his chin down into his hoodie's collar and inhaled slowly. The confession that Gabriel worried---and maybe cared---about him did something funny to his insides. His stomach was fluttery and his heart was jumpy. He felt badly for being the reason Gabriel was worried, too, and that toned down the funny feeling. Before he could say anything dumb, like asking to go over and not be alone, he made himself breathe deeply again. 

"Sam?" 

"I'm here," Sam whispered. 

"What are you doing?" Gabriel asked. 

"Standing in my empty apartment," Sam replied. "I just got back from walking around." 

"You good?" 

"I... I will be," Sam admitted. "Just..." 

As soon as Sam's voice trailed off into silence, Gabriel asked, "What do you need?" 

He swallowed hard, hoping he buried the emotional wobble down deep in his chest, and wondered if it could be as easy as asking Gabriel if he could come visit. He didn't want to impose, but he really didn't want to be alone, either. Gabriel was so kind to him---and so good at cheering him up when Sam wasn't feeling his best. 

While he contemplated his friendship with Gabriel and its potential limitations, he gradually became aware of Gabriel's voice in his ear. 

"Samshine, hey, I don't know what you're doing, probably trying to wrap your head around whatever happened, and that's all right," Gabriel murmured. "What I need you to do is just blurt out what you need and I promise if it's something I can give you, I will." 

Sam swallowed again, to breathe past a lump of emotion that had risen in his throat. "Gabe?" 

"Yeah, Sam?" 

"Can I... can I come over? I... Dean... we had a fight, sort of, and he's not here anymore. I don't know if I want to be here alone---or here when he comes back---" 

"Yes." 

"Really?" 

Gabriel chuckled softly. "Yes, absolutely," he said. "Do you need me to come pick you up?" 

"Ah, no, I'll call a cab," Sam replied. "I need to call Donna first." 

"Okay. Good," Gabriel said. "You do that but text me when you're on your way. I am going to get this place Samshine ready---" 

"Don't go to any trouble, Gabe," Sam interrupted. 

With another chuckle, Gabriel said, "Sam, I am the master of smile therapy. This is no trouble. Just pack your rattiest, comfiest sweats and tell me what comfort food you want to eat." 

"Gabriel..." 

"Sam." 

"Pizza. And fries. And nachos." 

"Good boy," Gabriel murmured. Sam felt his face heating up in reaction to Gabriel's compliment; Gabriel started speaking again before Sam could analyse his response too much. "Now. What do you need to do?" 

"Wash up. Find sweatpants. And call Donna. Oh, and text you before I leave." 

Gabriel made a soft, pleased sound before he spoke again. "Good," he said, his voice still soft. "If I don't hear from you in an hour, I am going to come looking for you." 

Before he could curb the impulse, Sam was smiling into his phone. Gabriel cared enough to worry, enough to come for him if he took too long. Maybe he and Gabriel were becoming real friends. The idea was enough to dissolve the guilt in his head. He knew he'd do the same thing for Gabriel, if he ever came to Sam for help, and... it felt _good_ to let himself believe that they were more than customer-and-proprietor. 

"Thank you, Gabriel," Sam whispered. 

"You're welcome," Gabriel said. "Just... get here, okay? I'll handle the rest for a little while." 

Sam nodded, even though Gabriel couldn't see the gesture, and he ended the call with another few grateful words. When he pocketed his phone, he looked around the room and decided to wash his face and change his shirts before calling Donna. He could do the rest while they talked.


End file.
